Synopsis from Goodreads:Moving to a new high
school sucks. Especially a rich-kid private school. With uniforms. But
nothing is worse than finding out the first girl you meet is dead. And a
klepto.

No one can see or hear Kimberlee except Jeff, so--in
hopes of bringing an end to the snarkiest haunting in history--he agrees
to help her complete her "unfinished business." But when the enmity
between Kimberlee and Jeff's new crush, Sera, manages to continue
posthumously, Jeff wonders if he's made the right choice.

When I saw the cover for Life After Theft on Edelweiss I didn't even read the synopsis. I just hit the download button and continued on my merry way, "shopping" for more Spring/Summer new releases . And wouldn't you? Just look at that gorgeous cover! So I had no idea what it was about when I started reading. When I realized it was about a girl ghost trapped on Earth and the only boy who could see her, I almost stopped reading. How many times can authors try to make love between a ghost and a human happen? I mean, for real, the logistics of that is just insanely stupid, but I soldiered on, and am very glad I did.

Life After Theft doesn't focus on ghost/human love. At all. Which was awesome. Instead it focuses on why the ghost, Kimberlee, is still stuck on Earth, instead of drifting off to whatever afterlife exists. Kimberlee was not a good person when she was alive. She was the pretty, popular girl who ruled with fear instead of kindness. And she was a thief. A big one. She believes that she is trapped because all of the stuff that she stole needs to be returned to its rightful owner before she can float away. That is where Jeff comes in. She needs Jeff to return everyone's things and she will not leave him alone until he helps her. He agrees to help, but is shocked when he sees the boxes and boxes (and boxes) of stuff Kimberlee has hidden in the cave on her parent's private beach.

Jeff is the new boy in school. He didn't know Kimberlee when she was alive and doesn't understand the importance of the things Kimberlee took. He quickly falls for the beautiful and sweet Sera, who hated Kimberlee and whom Kimberlee hates right back. Sera has a past that she is trying to put behind her and has a large, overprotective brother looking out for her.

When Sera's brother, Khail, finds Jeff breaking into his locker in order to return something Kimberlee had taken from him, Khail is roped into helping Jeff return the stolen loot because, even though he can't see her himself, he wants Kimberlee out of his and Sera's life for good.

I really enjoyed Life After Theft. Every time I thought I knew what was going to happen, when I would roll my eyes at the cliche I thought was right around the corner, the book would surprise me. The character arc of Kimberlee was convincing and well-done. I liked the blossoming relationship between Jeff and Sera. And I was straight-up thankful that this book never once veered into the story of the love between a boy and his ghost.

*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange of an honest.*

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About Me

I'm happily married and child-free. I love reading, movies, margaritas, and my two cats. If I could, I would bottle the smell of a brand-spanking new book and wear it as perfume. I mostly read YA, but will read anything that holds my interest. I've worked in a public library for the past 7 years and hope to remain there for many years to come.